harney



June 25 1929. HARNEY Re. 17,333

VARIABLE LINE SPACER Original Filed Jan. 20, 1 927 INVENTOR Zmrgil 15%; 6g

M ATTORNEY which the ratchet wheel Reissued June2 5, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMMET 'r. HARNEY, or enawoon, NEW JEnsEY.

VARIABLE LINE SPACER.

original. so. 1,657,392, dated Thisinvention relates to variable spacers. and more particularly to a line spacer adapted for typewriters. V Theobjectof theinvention is to provide a 5 simple form of attachment which requires the use of but one hand tobe operated; and which, when given a small movement will release the clutch between theratchet wheel of the typewriter and cylinder or platen turns. I am of course awarethat there is a wellknown device of this characterin which longitudinal movement causes release of the ratchet'wheel from the platen or cylinder to vice requires the use of both hands; one to prevent displacing the cylinder longitudinalas the clutch mechanism is released with the other; while my invention is an improvement which en ables the operator to release the clutch with one hand only, and there'is no force onthe cylinder tending to shift the later the direction of its longitudinal axis.

Withthese and other objects'in View',the

of construction and combinations and "arrangements of parts, which will be more ful 1y hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims. r v

In the accompanying drawings-* Figure 1 isa View, partly in elevation and I partly in longitudinal.

my improved attachment a well known make of eral use; I Figure, 2 is a view, partly. elevationbut in connection with I mainly in longitudinal section, at right an rifles to the plane of section in F1gure1,;show1ng the parts in position to cause the usual clutch to hold the platenor cylinder and the ratchet wheel in connection, so that the latter can rotate the former;

Figure 3 is a showing the position of parts when the clutch and the ratchet are released 3' theline 4- 1: of Figure :5;

permit of variable line spacing, but such de-L invention consists in certainnovel features section, illustrating typewriter, in gen I l and 1s nota part of my lnventlon.

view sunilar to Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged view in section on January, 24, 1928, Serial No. 162,350, filedJanuary 20, 1927. Application for reissue filed June e0, 1928. Serial No. 287,021;

Figure 6 is another elevation thereof'seen from the bottom of Figure 5. Numerall represents the cylinder or platen of a typewriter the clutch as this is standard equipment, but I merely illustrate the arms 4 which control the clutch and. constitute a partthereof, so that in reality the arms l nay be construed as clutch actuating members. i i

The disk 2 hasa boss or projecting drawings, and the ratchet wheel 3, which is in the form of a ring or band, fits over this hub and can revolve thereon when the clutch above-mentioned is disengaged.

A disk 2 of greater diameter thanthe hub of the disk 2, its against this hub andis secured to it; to keep the wheel 3 from coming off. The clutch is inside the disk 2 and,

the arms 4 have their adjacent ends attached to the clutch and movementof. the arms 4 downward. with referenceto FiguresB and.

4 causes the clutch to connect the disk 2 and wheel 3, so that they must rotate together.

the ratchetwheel is released. Thistype'of clutch actuated by the arms 4 is well known,

At 6 "s a shaft which e xten'ds longitudinal.- 1y. into theb'ore 5 and through the disks 2 and 2 and ratchet. wheel and projects beyond the end of the cylinder, forming a supporting trunnion 7 mounted in a bearing," 8, this bearing; adapted to be secured to a fixed part of the machine, as is well understood in the art. There will of course be a second'bearing 8' at the opposite end, not shown, of" the platen 1, and second trunnion attached ,to the platen tosupport the opposite end.

A block 8hr element is mounted to slide on the shaft 6 within the cylinder 1, and has cam faces 9 thereon engaging the 'outer ends hub not shown, to the left, with reference to the" When the outer ends of the arms 4 are freed,

of the arms 4. A coiled spring 10 located back of the block 8 on the shaft 6 exerts pressure on this block to normally hold the cam faces 9 in engagement with the arms 1 to press the arms down and hold the clutchin its engaged position; locking the ratchet wheel 3 to the disk 2. This position of the parts is clearly indicated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The spring 10 is held on the shaft by a nut 10. o

On the block 8 a plate 11 is secured and is operatively engaged by a finger 12 on the ehd of a rod 13. This rod 13 lies Within a longitudinal groove 14 extending to the outer end of the shaft 6, and the part 13 normally extends beyond the end of the shaft, as inclicated in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2.

On the outer end or trunnion portion 7 of the shaft 6 I locate a cam sleeve 15, which fits the shaft but is adapted to slide and turn thereon. 16 represents a tube located around the cam sleeve 15, and to which a knob or button 17 is secured to act through the shaft to rotate the cylinder 1, as is customary. The shaft 6 is fast to the disks 2 and 2; and the member 15 can turn in the tube 16.

The outer end of my improved cam sleeve 15 is closed and formed with a projection 18 on its closed end. 19 represents a cap which fits over the tube 16 and has an opening receiving the enlargement 18. This enlargement 18 and the opening in the cap may be angular so as to compel these two parts to turn together, or the sleeve and the cap may may be secured together in any other manner so that when the cap is turned the sleeve will turn with it. The cap is preferably fastened to the tubular member 15.

The trunnion 7 of the shaft 6 adjacent its outer extremity is provided wit-h a lug 20 which is movable through a longitudinal slot 21 in the cam sleeve 15, and is normally positioned in a diagonal cam slot 22 which communicates with the slot 21. In other words, this portion of the slot given the reference numeral 22 has its edges disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve so that, when the sleeve is turned, the cam slot 22 will cause the sleeve to move longitudinally on the trunnion 6 by reason of the engagement of the lug 20 with the sides thereof and as the sleeve moves in one direction it forces the rod 13 inward longitudinally, for the outer extremity of this rod 13 bears against the closed end of the sleeve, as clearly indicated in Figi ures 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The inner extremity of the sleeve 15 is reduced in diameter and screw-threaded, as indicated at 23, to receive a nut 24L bearing against the end of the tube 16 to hold the parts in proper assemblage.

The end of the cam slot 22 of sleeve 15 is made with a notch 25 therein to accommodate the. projecting part or lug 2O aflixed to the shaft when the parts are in a predetermined position. The tube 16 has a straight slot 20*, into which the lug 20 projects after passing transversely through the slot in the sleeve 15. Hence the tube 16 and knob 17 can slide back and forth with the sleeve 15 on the trunnion 7; but when the knob is turned, the trunnion 7 and platen 1 must rotate also. The slot 21 plays no part in the operation of the device, but allows the sleeve to be slipped upon the shaft 6.

The operation is as follows Figures 1 and 2 show the parts in normal position. The lug 20 then lies about where the diagonal slot 22 unites with the longitudinal slot 21. WVhen it is desired to vary the line space, the operator grasps the cap 19 between the thumb and finger and imparts a turning or partial rotary motion thereto. This motion will be clockwise, when the cap 15is observed from the left of these figures, that is, downward in Figure 2 on the side presented. to the observer. The shaft 6 is fast relative to the disk 2 and neither slides nor turns therein, hence the shaft 6 now remains stationary. As the cap 19 and the cam sleeve 1.5 are fixed to move together, the turning movement of the sleeve by reason of the lug 20 and the cam slot 22, will impart longitudinal movement to this sleeve to the right and exert a push on the end of rod 13 to force the block 8 to the right of Figure 2 against the presure of spring 10, so that the cams 9 are moved away from the ends of the clutch arms 4 and the latter are freed and the clutch between the disk 2 and ratchet wheel 3 is released. As this clutch locks the ratchet wheel 3 to the disk 2 it will be readily understood that when the clutch is released the cylinder 1 can be turned in either direction by grasping and rotating the knob 17; which acts through the tube 16, slot 20 lug 20, trunnion 7, shaft 6, and disk 2.

lVhen thecap 19 is turned to cause the release of the clutch, the lug 20 moves away from the longitudinal slot 21 and along the diagonal slot 22 into the notch 25, which holds the sleeve-15 against turning and slipping back. Hence the block 8 stays in the position of Figure 3, and the ratchet 3 remains disengaged till the cap 19 is grasped and rotated backward. This movement causes the lug to i be freed from the notch 25, and then the spring 10 presses block 8 back to make the cams'9 reengage with the arms 4, and the rod 13 pushes back the cap 19, returning the sleeve 15, to original position. This sleeve 15, through nut 24:, pulls back the knob 17 and tube 16 with it.

Thus only one hand is needed, for all that is required to disconnect the ratchet wheel is seize the cap 19 and turn it slightly. The

platen 1 is not shifted or rotated when the cap 19 is turned, and therefore one does not need to hold the platen at this time. After the ratchet is released, it stays released, and

the same hand can be used to grasp the knob 17 I to turn the cylinder 1. Turning back the cap 19'againc0nnects the cylinder land ratchet Various changes and alterations might be made inthe general form of the partsdescr bed without departing from my invention and hence I do not, limit myself to the precise details set forth but consider myself at liberty tomake such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. The combination'with a clutch controllingrod and shaft having a groove therein in which said rod is mounted, of a sleeve mounted to slide on the shaft and having a .tudinally,

cam slot therein, a lug on the shaft engaging in the cam slot, said sleeve adapted when moved longitudinally to move the rod longiand a cap connected to the sleeve and adapted when turned to impart rotary motion to the sleeve and longitudinal move- .ment to the rod.

' 2. The combination with a clutch controlling rod and shaft having a. groove therein 1n which said rod 18 mounted, of a sleeve mounted to slide onthe shaft and having therein a curved cam slot with a dwell portion, a lug on the shaft engaging 1n the slot,

said sleeve adapted to turn on the shaft, to be advanced longitudinally thereof by the engagement of said lug with the slot therein and serving as n'ieans whereby to move the rod longitudinally, said lug adapted on movement ofthe sleeve longitudinally to enter said dwell portion and therein to maintain said sleeve and rod against reverse movement, and

onal cam slot therein,

hes

' means for turning the sleeve on the shaft 7 into and out of a position in which said dwell portion will receivesaid lug.

3. The combination with a clutch controlling rod and shaft having a groove therein in which said rod is mounted to have longitudinal movement, of a sleeve mounted to move freely on the shaft and having a diagonal cam slot therein, a lug on the shaft en-' gaging within the cam slot of the sleeve,

means for turning the sleeve, said lug and diagonal cam slot cooperating to cause the sleeve during its turning movement to advance longitudinally ofsaid shaft, and a part movable with the sleeve and cooperating with said rod to cause the latter to move longitudinally of the shaft in proportion to the lon-- gitudinal advancementof the sleeve thereon.

4:. The combination with a clutch controllin rod and shaft having a groove therein a U n a u u in which said rod 18 mounted to'have long1- tudinal movement, of a sleeve mounted to move freely on the shaft and having a diag-.

a lug on the shaft engaging within the cam slot of the sleeve, said lug and diagonal cam slot cooperating to cause the sleeve during its turning movement to advance longitudinally of sald shaft, apart movable with the sleeve and cooperating in either direction while said lug is received in saiddwell portion.

5. The combination with a clutch control ling rod and shaft having a groove therein in which said rod is mounted to have longitudinal movement, of a sleeve mounted to move freely on the shaft and having therein a diagonal cam slot with a dwell portion, a lug on the shaft engaging within the cam slot of the sleeve, means for turning the sleeve, said lug and diagonal cam slot cooperating to cause the sleeve, when turned,to advance longitudinally of the shaft to bring said dwell portion about said lug, a part movable with the sleeve and cooperating with said rod.

to cause the latter to move longitudinally of the shaft in proportionto the longitudinal spring to call the parts into clutching action a rod movable longitudinally of the shaft adapted to compress said spring for the release of said clutch mechanism; a sleeve controlling the rod freely movable on the shaft and having therein a diagonal slotwith a dwell portion, a lug on the shaft engaging within the slot of the sleeve, means for turning the sleeve, said lug and slot cooperating to cause the sleeve, when turned, to advance along the shaft and move said rod to compress the spring, said lug and dwell portion being adapted. to cooperate together to prei vent reversemovement of the sleeve and rod untilthe sleeve is turned reverscly by the sleeve turning means.

7. In a typewriting machine, consisting of a platen; a shaft; a ratchet and releasable clutch mechanism controlling the connection of the ratchet with the platen including a spring to .call the parts into clutching action; a rod movable longitudinally of the shaft adapted to compress said spring for releasing the clutch mechanism a sleeve controlling the rod freely movable on the shaft and having therein a diagonalslot with a dwell portion, a lug on the shaft engaging Within the slot of the sleeve, means for turning the sleeve, said lug and slot cooperating to cause the sleeve, when turned, to advance along the shaft and move said rod to Compress the spring, said lug and dwell portion being adapted to cooperate together to prevent reverse movement of the sleeve and rod untll the sleeve is turned reversely bythe sleeve turning means, and a knob for turning the sleeve and shaft together While the spring is held compressed during the cooperation of said lug and dwell portion;

In testimon that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereto.

EMMET T. HARNEY. 

